Never Let Go
by mapplepie
Summary: Sabo never managed to escape from his father after he gave himself up for Ace and Luffy's sake. But ten years pretending to be the Noble his father expects him to be is nothing when it lets him save his brother in the end. (In which Ace gets a visitor in Impel Down, and it's the last person he expects.)
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: hmm, nope, I'm still not over Ace's death, it seems. These dear ASL bros deserved more time together._

* * *

One day, completely out-of-the-blue, a Noble decided to drop by Impel Down.

No one anticipated the news. Visitors were already a rarity in the dreaded hell that was the Underground Prison, let alone voluntary appointments from _Nobles_ of all people.

Despite the surprise, the Warden ultimately decided to humour the Noble's whimsical fancy. Reluctantly so, it should be noted. Though the Noble was no Celestial Dragon, it turned out he was the brother of a minor Kingdom's King – that is to say, minor, but still significant enough to be part of the Reverie. Were it not for the Noble's royal status, he would've been denied entry on the spot.

As it was, the Noble was quickly sent off with Vice-Chief Hannyabal on a standard tour of each Prison level. They traveled deeper and deeper, finishing off with Level Six.

Level Six prisoners were the worst of the worst, with unruly behaviours to match their infamy. Despite Hannyabal's command for them to be on their best behaviour, the moment the lift opened up to their floor, no one bothered to hold their tongue.

Among the lot, Ace sat glumly in his cell, scowl fixed permanently on his face. The sting of getting captured was humiliation enough, but to be put on display like some zoo animal was another thing entirely. Moreover, there was no doubt in Ace's mind that he was the star of the show, considering his grand titles of Fire-Fist Ace and Whitebeard's Second Division Commander; he was nothing but a toy for the Prison to boast about.

 _Bastards._

True to Ace's suspicions, Vice-Chief Hannyabal quickly bee-lined towards his cell without a stop, only offhandedly pointing out prisoners, such as former-Shichibukai Crocodile, along the way. Perhaps making Ace's life miserable was Hannyabal's only joy, considering he was forced into Noble-babysitting duty by the Warden, who couldn't be bothered to personally attend to such a weak, dull guest.

Who was Hannyabal not to spread the misery?

At the cell door, the Vice-Chief kicked the metal bars of Ace's prison.

"We have a guest," he said, loudly, gratingly. "Look lively," he demanded, when Ace didn't bother to look up.

From behind the Vice-Chief, the sounds of measured footsteps echoed forwards, and Ace could see spit-shined black boots headed his way. He held unmoving, refusing to acknowledge the Noble as he glared into the boots instead.

The faster he got bored, the faster he would leave.

Or at least that was the plan until the Noble suddenly spoke up. "Not even a hello, Portgas D. Ace?" he commented mildly.

Ace's heart froze mid-beat.

There was something about the Noble's voice, beneath the posh and patronising tone, that sounded so much like teasing. The familiar way the Noble's accent curled over his name left Ace's heart coiled still. Despite himself, Ace's head lifted desperately, eyes sweeping over the Noble's form. His brain registered a long, thick black jacket, and a fitting blue shirt that spoke of wealth and fine silk. There was a white cravat, blond hair, and above that, a well-worn top hat that he'd known his entire childhood.

The jeers of the neighbouring prisoners fell to a distant hum.

Ace's mouth dropped open. "Sa-"

"How dare pirate scum like you talk to me so easily," Sabo cut him off. Warning flashed across Sabo's expression, and yeah, Ace supposed, he shouldn't go around telling people Sabo had ties to a dead man like him.

Sabo narrowed his eyes mutely. For a moment, it looked so much like that thing he did when they were kids, when he didn't like what Ace was depressingly mulling about, that the thought gave Ace all sorts of nostalgia.

How long had it been since he'd last seen his brother? Sabo had left with his sad excuse of a father for Ace and Luffy's sake, and then all but completely disappeared when they later tried to go and claim him back.

Why was Sabo still a Noble when Ace knew how much he hated them? (Why wasn't his brother _free_?)

Suddenly, Sabo tilted his head, and his top hat unceremoniously tumbled off. It rolled quickly, slipping through cell bars and straight into Ace's lap. If Ace's arms weren't chained to the walls, he would've made a grab for it to carefully dust off, because Sabo loved that precious thing.

"Ah!" Hannyabal cried at the runaway headwear.

"Open the door," demanded Sabo.

"I can't allow visitors into the prisoners'-"

Sabo was unrelenting. "What do you expect me to do? I've already acquiesced to your demeaning rule to put cuffs on," Sabo retorted harshly, clanging the metal around his wrists, belittling and supercilious, everything Ace knew Sabo was not. "And now you'll lose me my hat?"

Keys rattled around Hannyabal's waist. "Stay here. I'll get it-"

Sabo cut him off once more. "And leave your filthy fingerprints all over it? If you don't move aside, I'll inform my brother, _King_ Stelly, about your impertinence, and have him convince the appropriate authorities to never promote you to Chief Warden," he threatened.

Ace snickered at how easily Sabo picked up on the Vice-Chief's weakness.

"That's my Chief Warden seat!" Hannyabal declared and then obediently stepped away. He never realised Sabo wasn't the typical snobbish, harmless Noble he was well used to, and by the time he did, it was already too late to regret.

With an arrogant harrumph, Sabo walked inside the unlocked cell, and slowly, calmly stooped to pick up his hat.

Ace's heart thudded in his ears.

He was so much more real now, inches from his face.

"Sabo," Ace murmured softly, the thickness in his voice holding the blond in place. His eyes found his sworn brother's and ached in pain to see the hollowness deep within that spoke of lost freedom and chained dreams. "You were with _them_ this whole time? I thought you'd escaped, that you having adventures on your own, writing about your journey."

His voice stuttered.

There was no blame in Sabo's tone. "They locked me in the cellar and pretended I was gone because they knew you and Luffy would come looking," he told him gently, like he saw Ace's guilt from not realising the truth sooner was crushing his chest whole.

Hannyabal made an impatient sound outside the cell.

Sabo turned towards the Vice-Chief, motion causing his grip on his hat to fumble and fall over Ace's legs. There was a flash of a thin metal from beneath the strap of the googles. Then, there was a muted _clink, clink_ , before Sabo stood at last, only to clumsily stumble into the wall, exactly where Ace's hands were chained.

When Sabo spoke up next, it was to no-one in particular. "Incidentally, I got good at picking locks."

Then Ace rose, all restraints falling free.

A grin stretched over Ace's lips as he beamed over at his brother.

The action seemed to light a fire in Sabo's soul. Sabo's posh acting and solemn reminiscing was quickly replaced by the spirited brother Ace remembered from their childhood, when they cowered to nothing because it was them against the world.

"Well then, Ace, want to be the second person to ever break out of Impel Down?" Sabo asked, looking so proud.

The sight of this Sabo cooled all of Ace's nerves and he felt invincible despite his cuts, bruises, and days without food. "I'll do one better," he smirked, already dashing out of his cell to silence Hannyabal before he could contact the guards. It was amazingly simpler when Sabo joined in because no one expected a Noble knew how to fight, nor the flawless coordination between them that had been carved into their bones and muscles since childhood. "I'll kidnap a Noble while I'm at it," Ace declared to the world.

And then he grabbed hold of Sabo's hand and swore to never let go again. (He finally learned that brothers were allowed to be that selfish.)


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks for all the love! Here's the second and final part, for everyone who was worrying about Luffy coming to an empty prison._

* * *

They had no plan.

Ace asked, of course, because Sabo was the smart one who didn't race face-first into danger on a whim. Except it turned out he did, and would continue to do so as long as his brothers were in danger.

Ace was equalled warmed and distraught at thought of that.

Regardless, Ace and Sabo were currently in the Prison lift, tensed to fight the moment they reached the top floor. Beside them was Jimbei, because an ally of Whitebeard is an ally, as far as Ace was concerned, and they really needed all the strength they could get to make a successful escape.

"I believe we managed to subdue the Vice-Chief before he could alert the guards," Sabo told them, clenching the chains he took from the cell as some sort of make-shift weapon. He'd really prefer a pipe, to be honest, but in desperate times, he took what he could get.

Beside him, Ace scoffed as fire flared in his hands. "Doesn't matter, let them try and get in our way."

"I won't let them put you back in a cell," Sabo commented, casual but determined.

"I won't let them touch you either," Ace shot back, protective.

Sabo only smiled, but it was calming and peaceful and so full of trust. "I know you won't."

And then the lift door dinged open on their floor.

Despite their years apart, when Ace shot a swift glanced over at Sabo, their nonverbal communication was still as strong as ever. They unanimously scattered. Sabo's chains whipped out before the men guarding the entrance of the lift could register their appearances. The aim could've been better, but it struck the target and that was all Ace cared about; it wasn't Sabo's fault he wasn't familiar using this sort of weapon.

Surprisingly enough though, Sabo knew to flick his wrists _just so_ to manipulate the chains to twist around and around on contact until he rendered the guard immovable. When he pulled his arm, it was like a spinning top as he launched the man Ace's direction. On his part, Ace kicked the man with a flame-accelerated impact that knocked the guard unconscious into the cold, stony walls. Jimbei's Fishman Karate effortlessly took care of the other one flung his way.

"That was easy," Ace chuckled.

"Do not celebrate too soon, Ace-kun. There are still a whiles before we are truly free," Jimbei said firmly.

"We can handle it," Ace replied sharply, with a pull of a promise, because nothing would tear him away from his brother before he managed to help him make up for all his years of lost freedom.

Which was when they turned the corner to come face to face with the Big Bosses. Chief Warden Magellan was present, deliriously smitten as he gestured for Shichibukai Boa Hancock to head through the side door with Vice Head Jailer Domino to be searched. There was also a marine Ace couldn't recognise, but his stripes placed him at Vice Admiral, like Garp.

"Well shit," Ace said, and Sabo echoed the sentiment, only much more elegantly put.

The Pirate Empress looked their way, surprise flickering in her eyes. Jimbei moved in front of the boys. "Empress Boa Hancock," he said to his fellow Shichibukai, eyeing her interaction with those around her, "you are siding with the Marines, I see. You will go that far to uphold your Shichibukai title? Are you truly willing to incite the wrath of Whitebeard and bring about the start of a bloody war?" he demanded.

The Empress cocked her head mutely, but mostly seemed dismissive of him because of his gender.

Domino was already fumbling with her den-den at the sight of the escapees. Beside her, Magellan pulled himself to full height, poison dripping from his body in the form of a Hydra. The Vice Admiral shifted his grip on his sword.

On their side, chains rattled from Sabo's shifting stance, while fire danced across Ace's body.

Knuckles cracked and muscles tensed. Magellan's poison soared towards them–

" _Cease_!" Hancock commanded regally.

The world abruptly stilled.

As if the Snake Princess' voice alone didn't already have her party scrambling to obey her every desire, the imploring look she sent their way only froze their actions quicker because beauty should not be disobeyed.

Meanwhile, Ace's group hesitated cautiously, justifiably paranoid at her unanticipated cry to hold-fire.

Hancock ignored the tension thickening between them to take a step forward, carrying on at her own pace. Her heels clicked on the stone floor – one step, two steps.

Ace tensed for combat the closer she approached, body coiled ready to pounce. Jimbei looked concerned; a clash between Shichibukai would be fierce and legendary, and would highly hinder their chances of escape. And it didn't help that the Warden and Marine behind her had strength comparable to their own, never mind the cell officers who would inevitably make their way to them once alerted of the breakout.

It seemed like a painfully disadvantageous situation… until the Amazon Empress spun sharply on her heels, her heavy cloak fluttering behind her, and Ace spotted something utterly unbelievable in its depths. He jabbed an elbow at Sabo, but the blond was staring too wide-eyed and incredulous to notice him.

"Mero Mero Mellow," Hancock cried.

Magellan and Domino turned to stone instantaneously, while the Vice Admiral only barely resisted. Blood was visible on the Marine's hand from his self-inflicted wound, as he'd forced his mind to register pain instead of lust. Not a second later, he was already rushing forward, sword unsheathed and dangerous.

"What is your play, Empress?" he demanded sharply, blade swinging her way.

He didn't reach Hancock – a rubbery arm shot out from beneath her cloak to halt the Marine's charge before he managed to get anywhere close.

"Don't hurt my friend!"

Jimbei stared, confused. Ace twitched at the sound of the voice.

"Why did I bother to hope I saw wrong?" Sabo muttered into his hands.

Luffy – of course it was Luffy; only Ace's brothers were stupid enough to voluntarily enter Impel Down to try and break him out – emerged from the folds of the Empress's mantle and tried to slug the Vice Admiral.

The impact vibrated into the flat of the Vice Admiral's sword, before he flicked his wrist to send Luffy flying.

Ace and Sabo growled in unison. In mirrored forms they launched themselves at the Marine, determined to beat his face in, because no one was allowed to hurt their baby brother in front of them without consequences.

" _Hiken_!" Ace snarled, a column of fire rushing towards his opponent.

Sabo swung the coil of chains, holding the Vice Admiral from escape. He only let go with a yelp when the heat finally increased too hot for his gloved hands. Even so, he didn't waste a second, already darting away to find another make-shift weapon from the rubble on the ground around them.

The jagged metal pole he came back with was a bit on the short side, but much more familiar in his grasp.

Ace tried to leap back into the fray, but it just wasn't meant to be. There were arms looped around his waist and impact on his back. He stumbled forward, only to be pulled upright by Sabo with quickness that came from experience with Luffy's preferred choice of greetings.

" _Ace!_ What are you doing here, Ace? I was coming to save you," Luffy cried in surprise and confusion, ignoring the futile tugs at his rubbery limbs.

"I don't need nobody to save me," Ace retorted.

"And what exactly did I just do?" Sabo sniped teasingly.

Luffy's head turned towards the newcomer, eyes pulled wide open. "Ehh? Sabo? What are you doing here?" There was no doubt in Ace's mind that Luffy had not been aware of Sabo's situation either, and he was not about to tell him, because Luffy should always be of innocence and smiles and all things good in the world.

The blond patted Luffy's unruly hair softly. "Saving Ace. Idiot can't do anything without his brothers," he said with a warm chuckle, equally unwilling to explain the full truth.

"Hey-"

"Aww, you beat me to it, Sabo?" Luffy whined.

"I didn't need saving!" Ace shouted at them both, but they ignored him entirely, knowing better than to take his complaint to heart. With a huff, Ace astutely turned his back on the two, sulk on his lips.

Around them, the battle roared on. The Empress had quickly stepped in after Ace and Sabo's previous joint attack, as she cried out something like: "How dare you try and hurt my Luffy!" though Ace wasn't certain why she thought his baby brother was hers.

The stoned forms of the Impel Down officers had long been discarded to the side and used as obstacles for the Vice Admiral as he dodged the Empress's fierce kicks.

Jimbei was standing protectively in front of the brothers, more because he wanted to give them a chance to reunite peacefully, rather than the fact that he thought they couldn't handle the fight.

"This is an act of betrayal!" the Vice Admiral boomed out at last at the Shichibukai, and even Luffy fell silent at the roar of his voice. He was littered with burns, bruises, and broken bones, and the only reason he had yet to fall was because of his pride.

Hancock held a hand delicately to her mouth and looked down on him, laughing haughtily. "It doesn't matter what I do," she said, undeniably indifferent, "I will be forgiven in the end, _because I am beautiful_." Then her leg snapped out for another strike.

Luffy cocked his head in thought and then jumped off Ace, sandals slapping onto the ground. "Don't worry, Hammock, I'll help make him forget!" Luffy told her, grinning, holding a fist up in the air.

Hancock swooned.

Ace stared. Honestly, Ace didn't think that was how amnesia worked, but on the other hand, – Ace pulled up a sharp grin – he was willing to try as well.

Sabo sighed to himself but readied his weapon in response.

The world would soon come to learn to cower at the sight of the three brothers fighting happily side-by-side.

* * *

 _A/N: Sabo is such an indulgent brother to Ace and Luffy's ridiculousness, you know?_


End file.
